Safety fire escape



June 2, 1931. E. BOCCHINO SQAFETY FIRE ESCAPE Filed Mai'ch 3, 1928 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented June 2 1931 p i j H i v h i UNITED, STATES P TENT oFFic ERNES T BOCGHINO, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY SAFETY FIRE scnrn Application filed Mareh 3, 1928. Serial No. 258,771

This invention relates to fire escapes as building'being connected to an eye fixed in a attached to dwellings and like buildings to counter poise 14, which, when the ladder'is provide means for the safe exit of persons in a raised position rests in a basket endangered by fire therein. supported by studs '16 set in the building In such structures it is customary to prowall. 7 f A vide such an apparatus adjacent certain of The upper ofl set ends of the basket elethe windows of the building,*haVing plat,- ments have secured in them a tube 17 held forms accessible through the windows," and in upright position near its open-top'by a to further provide means for raising the bracket 18,the tube being of such diameter ladder portion to some distance above the as to permit the weight 14 to'pa ss freely 60 ground, thus preventing surreptitious or untherethrough. warranted entrance under normal condi- \Vhile'the tube is indicatedas of circular tions. cross section, it will be understood that any 7 The ladder is provided with a counter other shape may be used conformable with L 5 poise slightly less in weight than the lad the weight. p g I der and flexibly connectedto it, the remain- The opposite, front end of the chain is der of the weight of the ladder being supattached to the center of anarcuate loop 20 ported by connections with the platforms. having its ends engaged with the ladder One of the objects'of the present invensides 21, the same being providedwith rungs.

20 tion is to provide'eificient, and easily releas- 22, thef'ladder being vertically slidable close- 7 "60 like flexible element, its end adjacent the risingcorrespondingly. 1

able means to retain the ladder when in a ly adjacent one end of the platform securely raised position. a anchored by strips 241:0 thebuilding and A further feature is in the provision of provided witli'the usual marginal enclosing improved means for guiding and housing fence formed by upright bars and corner 25 the counter-poise, preventing its displa'ceposts fixed at their respective ends in the 75 ment by accident or otherwise so that it will platform 23*and handrail. unfailingly operate. In the preferred form of ladder stop a These and other important advantages clampmember 26, preferably made of two which will appear as the description proessentiallyequal die formed sockets of heavy 3 ceeds, are attained by the novel construcsheet metal are engaged on the outer side 5 tion and combination of simple parts ashereof the ladder and, after adjustment, inafter described and shown in the annexed clamped by screws 27 passing through the drawings, forming a material part of this forwardly extending wing portions 28 of disclosure, and in which:- i the clamps. v I

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an J ournalled between the lower front cor- 85 embodiment of the invention showing. its ners of the wings 28'is a roll 29, its peapplication. I riphery engaging just slightly over the cor Figure 2 is an -enlarged sectional view nerof a strip 30 which, together with a taken on line 2-'2 of Figure 1.. similar strip is fixedto the platform to rig- 40 Figure 3 is a perspective view of a su'pidly support'a guard bar 31, these elements 90 port element in detail. acting to guidetheladder in raising and Figure 4 is a partial plan and sectionallowering it, but permitting it to be moved 'view'of a modified form of ladder support. limitedly edgewise.

The wall of a buildingis designated in It will be understood from the foregothe drawings by the numeral 10, from the ing that if the ladderv be pressed forcibly 95 upper portion of which extendsa bracket towards the wall, the roll 29 will ride up 11, the same rotatably supporting a grooved and across the strip 30 and after passing wheel 12. V the same the ladder may be easily moved Trained over the wheel'is a chain 13 or down to rest upon the ground, theweight 1 1 the bar 31, as best seen in Figure 2.

.The opposite end 34: ofthe dog is bevelled to engage a correspondingly shaped recess in the lower end 35 of'an upright lever, pivoted at 36'to one of the clamp. elements and having an offset portion 37-terminating;

in a handle 38 near the top railing of the V enclosure, in position to be conveniently grasped. l a

When the lever is swung forward'the dog will he released fro-Inits latchrl ike engage- Inentand, turninglon the pivot 32 a'liowthe ladder to be lowered. 1'

. An additional securingmeans :is disclosed in Figure 1, the same consisting of a bracket 40 on the enclosure 'r ailythe same frictionally h u ing a r lv having at'itsoute end an'u'pturned handle a2 and at its inner end a hook43 adapted to engage below one of the rungs 22 of .the latter, thereby 'to sustain it when raised, release takingplaee by turning the handle 42 into a horizontal position. i l 1 v y In the modification shown in Figure 4, a support 45 is riveted to the platformframe 23 and mounted slidablyion-the support a detent 46 having an angularly turned .operating end 47 and containing an elongated slot 48 movable on 'headed pins 49 setfi'n the support 45, the forward end ofjthe detent, terminating in a plunger 5.0 adapted to enter an appropriate opening in ther ldj icent side 21 of'the ladder. or I i It i 'to e under tood that any r all of the several safety devices may-be used either singly or in combination as may be desired, each being effective and simple in construction and operation.

Although I have described'nny improve ments with considerable deta il ai d withjrespect to certain particular forms ofjrny' in e on, Iydo not desire t ffb flimlited to such details since many changes'and modi ficationsniay well be made without "c'lepartng rom h spiri and scop o my inve tion in its biioadest'aspect. 7 r 7 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desirejt'o secure by Letters Patent, is'i f I 1. In a fire'e'scape for 'buildin'gs havinga platform, a'ladder serving the platform movable vertically, with respect thereto," a partial counter-poise for the ladder,"a clam-p adjustable on the ladder, said clamp having a roll, andastrip on theplatform engaging said rolland over which it may be passed .to release the-ladder. 2,- In a e es pe f r;b il ing h vi ga platform, a ladder movable ertically ela: tivethereto, a clamp adjustablyengaged to r eat oneside of the ladder, a roll carried by the clamp, and a support on said plaform for said roll over which the clamp maybe pressed by lateral force exerted on the lad der thereby to be freed of said support.

3. In a fire escape for buildings having a a platform, a ladder movable vertically relative-thereto, a counterweight partially supporting said la dder, a clamp adjustably fixed i pressu're,"and releasable means carried by saidelarnp to prevent downward movement of the l dden-q v I AJI n a fire escape for buildings havi a platform, a ladder movable vertically rative thereto, a counterweight partially (su porting; said ladder, afclamp adjustably fixed onone of the ladder sides, a rollpivoted sa d. clam-P, a p ort s Pla for the ,roll to carry the remainder of the weight of said ladder, said roll and ladder bei gdisplae able om the uppq hyilateraltpressurepa dog pivoted ion said-clamp normally engageable with said support, and a hand operated lever pivoted onsaid clamp to release the dog.

platform, a ladder movable vertically relative thereto, a counterweight partiallyxsupportingsaid ladderya clamp adjustably fixed von one ofthe laddersides, 2121 011 pivoted in said elamp, a support on said platform for theroll to carry the remainder ofthe weight of said ladder, said roll and ladder being 'displaceable fromthe support by lateral pressure, and a turn bolt pivotedon the frame of said platform to control the movement of said ladder. 7 I I a, 6, In- -afire escape forbuilding's having a platform,- a, ladder movablevertically relative thereto, a counterweight partially supporting said, ladder, a clamp .adjustably fixed on one of the ladder sides, a roll pivoted V insaid clamp, a support on said platform for the roll to carry the remainder of theweight .of said ladder, said rolliand ladder being 'displaceable -.fro.mthe. Support by la r l pressure, and a turn bolt pivoted on; the

plat-form frame having an operating handle,

and a hook on saill'bolt e gag ab e w' th a rung in said ladden, e i

7 In a fire escape forbuildi'ngs havingta platform, a ladder movable vertically relativethereto, a counterweight partially supporting said ladder, a clamp adj ustably fixed on one of the ladder sides, a roll pivoted in said clamp, a snpport'on said platform for the'roll to carry the remainderof the weight of said ladder, said roll and ladder Ebeing 'displ ceable om: t e 7 Support by" late pressurea dog pivo ed-on= sai clamp 1 1'- mally engageable with said support, a hand operated lever pivoted on said clamp to release ,the dog, a horizontal rod rotatably mounted on the platform frame, a handle 5 at one end of said rod, and a hook at the other end to engage one of the rungs of the ladder.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' ERNEST BOCCHINO. 

